The Netra Bikram Chand led CPN and CK Raut’s Janamat Party, that have been involved in violent and secessionist politics in the past, have charted different paths for the upcoming local election.
Chand, who had gone underground for radical left politics, and Raut, who was leading a secessionist movement in the Madhes, had both renounced their extremist agenda and joined mainstream politics signing deal with the then KP Sharma Oli government.
Raut’s party recently led farmers’ protests in the plains after signing the deal three years back while Chand’s CPN had renounced violence a year back.
Raut’s party was the first to be registered among the 79 parties registered with the Election Commission for the local election to be held on May 13. General Secretary Chandan Singh said the party will field candidates at the places where it has organization.
“The first priority is Madhesh Province. We will gradually go across the country. We will file candidacy at the places where we wield influence from Jhapa to Kailali,” Singh stated.
He added that the party will hold meeting after Holi to take decision about its election campaign.
Chand, however, has not even registered his party for the local election. “We have not registered the party. But we have yet to take the decision about participation in the eleciton,” leader of the Chand-led CPN Dharmendra Bastola stated. “There are both kinds of arguments about participation in the election. We will soon convene central committee meeting to conclude the issue.”
When asked whether the party can be registered should it decide to participate when the deadline for registration has already expired. Chand’s party will have to be registered in another name as CPN has already been registered with the Election Commission.
